The subject matter of the invention relates to a component of a milking cluster, to a milking cluster for milking an animal and to a milking device.
For milking animals, milking devices which have milking stalls at which the milking operation takes place have been developed. For this purpose, the teat cups of a milking cluster are attached to the teats of the animal. Before the actual milking operation, stimulation of the animal may be carried out to increase the willingness of the animal to be milked. The milking operation and the milking process may be started manually. For this purpose, each milking stall is equipped with a corresponding terminal. From this terminal, the milker can also call up data on the animal located at the milking stall.
Milking devices in which the milking operation is automatically started are also known. The starting operation is initiated by picking up the milking cluster. In the initial position, the milking cluster is on a holder, which is equipped with a corresponding switch. If the milking cluster is removed from the holder by the milker, the switch is activated and the milking operation is initiated.
The automatic starting of a milking operation has the disadvantage that this milking operation takes place at too early a time and that not inconsiderable amounts of air are sucked in through the teat cups. The vacuum system of the milking machine must be correspondingly designed.
If the start of a milking operation takes place by means of a terminal, this takes up a not inconsiderable amount of time for a milker.
Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of designing a component of a milking cluster in such a way that starting a milking operation is made easier.